The phytochemicals may be synthesized, compounded or otherwise transformed to make pharmaceuticals. Some modern prescription drugs are based on plant extracts rather than whole plants. Pharmacognosy is the study of plant sources of phytochemicals. For example, the marsh mallow has the classification Althaea officinalis, as it was traditionally used as an emollient to soothe ulcers. In the Latin names for plants created by Linnaeus, the word officinalis indicates that a plant was used in this way. In Europe, apothecaries stocked herbal ingredients as traditional medicines. Secondary metabolites and pigments may have therapeutic actions in humans, and can be refined to produce drugs examples are quinine from the cinchona, morphine and codeine from the poppy, and digoxin from the foxglove. įor example, some secondary metabolites are toxins used to deter predation, and others are pheromones used to attract insects for pollination. secondary metabolites serving a more specific function.primary metabolites, such as carbohydrates and fats found in all plants.Phytochemicals possibly involved in biological functions are the basis of herbalism, and may be grouped as: This is an alphabetical list of plants used in herbalism.
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